On the Cheap: Red Beans and Rice

posted May 14, 2008
  by Josh Gunn, Bachelor Chow

Shortly after I returned from an expensive two-week research trip I realized I had yet to do my taxes. To my surprise I owed the federal government a hefty sum, and this was because I did a little moonlighting last year without withholding for tax. I had a sizable return in 2006, so I simply assumed I would have a smaller return this year. Apparently, however, my consulting work put me over a salary threshold, which meant I could not take my school loan interest credit, which meant that I got zapped—big time.

Of course, the day after I paid Uncle Sam, I had scheduled my car for a routine, 65,000 mile service. The normally $60 service bill emerged as a $1,200 repair bill. Needless to say I was wiped out and had to dip into savings. I felt like a poor student again, now having to stretch $50 for two weeks until payday.

I was doing pretty well with budgeting as my inner-cheap blossomed, but two days before payday I was down to six bucks. I resisted dipping into savings again and thought I would issue myself a challenge: how do I eat for two days on $6? I reckoned this would be a fun provocation for my inner broke-bachelor: no fancy castles, no moonlit tables, no roses, certainly no women, but a real single-guy tough decision that had nothing to do with forced love on network television. How do I get two days of food out of six bucks? Well, fortunately, I already had some canned soup in the pantry, frozen veggies and homemade soup in the freezer, and about half a dozen eggs. My challenge was to come up with something for two suppers and a lunch. My solution: Red beans and rice.

Red beans and rice was my answer because, well, kidney beans and rice are about one measly dollar a pound. The ingredients and seasoning are also fairly cheap and might already be in your kitchen: lard (e.g., bacon grease or whatever is in your meat waffle-iron drip pan) or oil, garlic (fresh or powdered), onion powder, and some sort of ham hock or meaty bone.

My favorite red beans and rice recipe is from The Chimes, a restaurant in Baton Rouge just north of the gates of Louisiana State University. They usually serve their red beans with Andouille sausage mixed in, but since I was poor, I had to forgo the sausage and just cook simple beans. I went to the grocery store and for about $4.50 bought a package of ham hocks (3, although all I needed was one or two), a pound bag of red beans, some cheap rice, and some green onions. I had everything else I needed at home.

Usually one should rinse the dry beans in water, then cover with water overnight. I forgot about that step (usually do), however, and the beans turned out well anyway. The recipe made enough for three meals, and I still had enough to give away to neighbors! I must admit I missed the sausage, so I made the recipe again the following week---post paycheck---for a party I threw last weekend and it was delicious. Below is the full-blown, sausage-in recipe. However, if you're on the cheap you can leave out almost everything except for the oil/lard, ham bone or hock, and beans.


Dr. Bachelor's Red Beans, Andouille, And Rice Deluxe Recipe
http://www.cdkitchen.com/


Serves/Makes: 10
Ready in: > 5 hrs

* 1 pound dried red beans, rinsed and drained
* 8 cups water and/or chicken stock
* 4 tablespoons butter or olive oil
* 1 small yellow onion, chopped
* 1 small green bell pepper, chopped
* 3 stalks celery, chopped (or to taste)
* 4 cloves garlic, minced (or to taste)
* 3 tablespoons fresh parsley (or to taste, use half as much for dried)
* 3 tablespoons fresh oregano (or to taste, use half as much for dried)
* 2 bay leaves (or to taste)
* 1 dash hot sauce (to taste)
* 1 dash Worcestershire (to taste)
* 2 ham hocks (less if desired)
* 5 tablespoons lard or oil (olive oil is fine)
* 1 dash Cajun/Creole seasoning (to taste)
* 1 dash onion powder
* 1 bunch green onions, chopped, for garnish

If you can remember to do this (I always forget), rinse the beans, drain, and then cover with water in a bowl and let soak overnight.

When you're ready to start, melt the butter and sauté you’re your onion, pepper, celery, and garlic in a Dutch oven or heavy pot until soft. Then add your parsley, oregano, bay leaves, and ham hock(s). Add your water or broth and set on high. Drain the beans and then add them to the mixture as it heats-up to a boil. Once everything boils, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for about 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, slice your sausage into rings and brown them on both sides to seal in juices. After the beans have simmered add the sausage, cover, and cook for about one hour, stirring occasionally. Then add the rest of the ingredients, seasoning to taste and cook about one and a half hours more (you're basically cooking these puppies into a delightful mush).

If toward the end of the cooking period you find the beans are too watery, you can scoop and strain some of the water out, being careful to return the bean residue back to the beans. Reserve the extra brown-looking water for cooking the rice!

Once the beans are falling apart, they're pretty much done. Remove the ham hock and discard.

Now, the final step is to take about 1/3 of the beans and put them into a food processor. Add onion powder and Cajun seasoning and then your oil or lard. The secret to good red beans is, alas, lard. You can substitute with olive oil. Now, process this until it is creamy, and then stir it back into the rest of the beans. Some people like to cut the meat off of the ham hock and process it with this final step, but I must admit I don't like the chewy consistency of the meat bits. Some people love it, though. Anyhoot, now just dip your beans over a mound of rice and garnish with green onions! Yay!

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